


Gills

by spiritsl



Series: Sidon x Reader [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Awkwardness, Fish romance, Gen, Gender Neutral, Gills
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 08:41:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10553384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiritsl/pseuds/spiritsl
Summary: You and Prince Sidon spend some time together at the lake, and in the process discover that the Prince has an unexpected weakness.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I can't help but be disappointed with how few people play with the idea of Sidons gills being a sweet spot. So I am working to fix this, one fic at a time.

  
"Hurry up Y/N! The water feels wonderful!" The Zora prince punctuated his call with a leap, splashing about in the warm shallows of East Reservoir Lake. The flash of his red scales was visible underwater thanks to the perfectly clear water and the bright summer sun, though he moved so quickly that at times you were barely able to catch more than a blur.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" You shouted, removing the last of your outer clothes to stand in your new swimming suit. While it was hardly a traditional bathing suit, the Zora crafted material felt like it would handle water comfortably, finally allowing you a chance to swim without the annoyance of wet clothes. You were just as eager as Sidon to test it out, but you still took the time to tuck your clothes somewhere safe under a bush before stepping into the water.

A light chill made you go slow as you eased your way in, your arms crossing reflexively in a shiver as you waded in belly deep.

"Wonderful? This is still pretty cold!" You said playfully, building up the courage to drop your shoulders below the surface. The prince only laughed and beckoned for you to come closer.

"It's warmer where we're going." he promised. You bit your lip and let your feet give you a push into deeper waters, submerging your shoulders so you could paddle out to him. Your belly did a flip as the cold hit you full force, but you kept paddling regardless. He watched as you approached, taking your time to cover the distance he'd cleared in moments. As you finally closed the gap, you heard a soft chuckle and looked up to see a sharp toothed grin. Though you knew what he was laughing at from experience, you pressed him regardless.

"What's so funny?"

He regained his composure immediately, but the smile remained. "I apologise, I just find it so endearing to watch. You swim like a newborn pup."

"I'm a pretty good swimmer! ...For a human!" You defended, too charmed by his affectionate tease to be anywhere near offended. Finally treading water before him, a small part of your mind took extra note of just how large the Zora Prince was in comparison to you, and how the size difference seemed to be even more apparent in the water.

"Well then, perhaps you won't need my help crossing the lake then?" He teased, waking you from your thoughts. You laughed and moved a little closer, already tired from treading water.

"Just a little help would be nice."

Sidon chuckled and turned his back to you, lowering himself in the water so you could hold on. Near giddy with excitement, you took your place on his back, keeping your hands on his shoulders for support. The feeling of his solid muscles so close stirred thoughts you didn't want to think about in the moment, so you tried to focus more on how much fun was ahead. Sidon could swim faster than any other Zora you'd ever seen, and so to be holding on when he hit full speed was possibly the most thrilling thing you'd ever experienced. You'd only done this a few times, and now in your swimsuit, there'd be no drag to hold either of you back. You could feel your heart pounding in excitement.

"Ready, Y/N?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at you. The playful gleam in his eyes made you flutter with excitement, and all you could manage was a quick mutter.

"Mhmm."

"Then here we go!" He said, starting off with only a single stroke. In no time you were off, moving through the water faster than any human could have ever hoped to move. His body cut through the lake like a knife, and the water behind you quickly started to form wakes. What you were feeling could only be described as exuberance, your heart pounding as the crystal clear water split before the two of you. Your hair fluttered in the wind as the sun warmed your back, and in that moment you doubted you could be any happier. Being where you were, being with who you were with... Who'd of thought you'd be best friends with the Zora Prince?

"Holding on alright?" Sidon asked, keeping his head forward as he continued swimming. Your hands reaffirmed their loose but careful grip on the sides of his neck. Though you never liked to cling to him for multiple reasons, you always kept a solid enough hold to ensure you wouldn't go flying off.

"Yes, just fine." You answered without pause. It didn't occur to you that he'd never checked on such a thing for a moment, and when it did you felt compelled to ask. "Why?"

Much to your surprise, he slowed down and looked back to you over his shoulder. There was a bit of a playful edge to his typically honest smile, and you couldn't ignore the electric pulse seeing it sent through you."Because I believe you should hold on a little tighter."

Your hands reflexively secured their grip on his neck, your body laying flat on his back in preparation for what you were sure was coming.

As soon as you were secure, he was off.

The fast pace from before became an almost breakneck speed, his entire body working to propel the two of you as fast as he could. The water behind you split into broad wakes as he tore through the still lake, and in no time you were overwhelmed by a cold spray of lake foam that was sent flying as he swam. Your hair was absolutely flying at this point and your eyes watered in the wind from the speed and your arms were locked on his neck to keep you from flying back but by the Goddess it was the most fun you'd ever had.

It felt like flying, you were going so fast. Your heart soared as your whole body gave into the thrill of the ride, a fluttery joy rising up to break out on your face in a mile wide smile and an unstoppable bout of laughter. This was incredible, to say the least. You'd known that he'd wanted to show you something special, but you couldn't have known it would be this wonderful! In that moment everything felt perfect, and you lost yourself in the fun of the ride.

In between the thrill of the speed and your jubilation, you hadn't seen the small wave before Sidon cut through it. The bump was small, probably nothing to him, but it was enough to loosen your grip enough to let you slip down his back. A shock of adrenaline in your bloodstream gave you the reflex time needed to react, and it was with a panicked gulp that you wrapped your arms around his broad chest and took a solid hold on either side of his ribs. In the instant after, you felt relief at having caught yourself and embarrassment at having slipped up, but it was immediately overwhelmed by what you heard next.

"Ahhhh! Ahhh..."

The cry slipped from his lips just as he stopped swimming, leaving the two of you floating forward purely on momentum as his muscular rhythm ceased and was replaced by a shiver you'd never felt from him before. The sudden sound and change in demeanor sent you into a panic, and you found yourself searching desperately for the source of his apparent pain. Had he hit something? Was there something else in the water with you?

"Y/N..." He stammered through his shaking, looking back at you. There was something you'd never seen before in his eyes, and a discoloration on his cheeks that almost made him looked flushed. Goddess, what had happened to him?

"Are you alright?" You asked quickly, tightening your grip on him in concern. "What did you hit? Do you need to go back-"

"Aha!"

He cut you off, crying out again as soon as you held him tighter. With far less grace than usual, he moved to float vertical in the water, leaving you hugging him from behind and as confused as you were worried.

"Y/N please... Just..." He choked out his words and finally managed a downward glance, guiding your gaze down to his chest. For the first time, you actually saw where your hands had landed, and you were horrified to see that in your moment of panic you'd taken hold of his gills. In a mortified panic, you let go and jumped back in the water, swimming back several feet to give him distance. The immediate sigh of relief that followed confirmed your fear. You'd been the one hurting him, and you hadn't even realized...

"Oh Goddess, I'm so sorry!" You belted out, sinking down in the water and hiding your face in your hands. You couldn't even handle looking at him in that moment. Did Zora let anyone touch their gills? Had you just hurt your dear friend and violated a cultural taboo? Could this get any worse? "I-I didn't mean to, are you hurt?! Did I hurt you-?"

"Oh no Y/N! I'm quite alright!"

You heard his voice just as a large hand lifted your face, making you look back at him just as he closed the gap between you. His smile was back, though it looked a tad bit more haggard than usual. Not to mention his cheeks still seemed a bit discolored in what you swore looked like a blush.

"I... I simply... " He looked down at himself and hovered a hand over his gills. For the first time since you'd met him, he actually appeared embarrassed, and the color on his cheeks deepened enough for you to confirm he really was blushing. "My gills are sensitive. When I felt your touch upon them I was... quite overwhelmed."

His words made your brain flat line. The next sentence out of your mouth didn't even happen of its own accord. "Overwhelmed... Bad?"

He made his lips go flat, the closest he could come to biting them in thought due to his teeth. After a moment he finally answered as smoothly as he could. "No, not in the slightest." He tilted his head so that his eyes were hidden behind his forehead extensions. "The ah... sensation, is actually quite pleasant."

"Oh."

The most awkward silence for a hundred miles settled between the two of you. There wasn't even enough time for you to truly comprehend what his words implied before the Zora Prince cleared his throat and spoke quickly to break the silence.

"Well, no matter. There was no harm done, Y/N. How about we start back on our way again?"

All you do was nod. When he offered you his back again, it was with unimaginable care that you settled your hold on his neck and laid your body flat, making sure at every step that you didn't go anywhere near his gills. Sidon went off at a much slower speed than before. It was still fast enough to get you there in almost no time, but slow enough that you didn't have to think too hard to stay secure.

And that gave your brain all the time to go where it shouldn't have.

Pleasant. Quite pleasant. Those were his exact words. And it didn't take a genius to start putting things together. The sounds he'd made, the quivering you'd felt, the blush on his cheeks... He'd felt pleasure, and it had been because of how you'd touched him. The very thought that you had caused him to feel something so intense it had literally stopped him cold... Well, it made you feel something not quite unpleasant... The sound he'd made at the moment of touch replayed itself in your mind without hesitation, bringing a blush to your own cheeks you were thankful he couldn't see. But you couldn't get lost in such thoughts now. The two of you still had a long day ahead. Once you got to this hidden little cove he'd talked about, all of this would be behind you. You'd find shells, go fishing, swim... A perfect chance for him to get away from his duties for a short while in the company of a friend. Such thoughts had no place there.

But perhaps later tonight... When you retired to your solitary bed... Perhaps such thoughts would have a place there.


End file.
